Rarely will objectivity be met without a slant. Embracing that slant, highlighting it, sometimes exploiting it, here are the stories that dare to address certain realities without fear of exposing the flaws.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Just an Old Fashioned Love Song

This week has been a week of reminiscing. I've listened to some of my favorite 80's songs, pulled out pictures from high school, smiled back at faces I haven't remembered in years, and recalled memories that were long forgotten (or so I thought).

Memory Lane is strewn with confetti tears of joy and grief. But the bittersweet taste I've been savoring looking back is worth it.

For example, I had forgotten that I ever went to a military ball (ROTC), and the sheer number of friends I had that were there with me. I had forgotten a birthday party my friends and I threw for my step-father that involved a silly string war in my front yard at 10 o'clock at night. I had forgotten about the time I met my girlfriend at the movies only to sneak into another movie with the guy I was crushing on, leaving my girlfriend alone and missing out on a far better movie than the one I snuck into.

There is a list of songs that remind me of a litany of people. "Don't Dream It's Over" by Crowded House is one. "Dare to Dream" by Yanni is another. "Unskinny Bop" by Poison, "What it Takes" by Aerosmith, "Thank You" by Led Zeppelin, "Hysteria" by Def Leppard, "Brass Monkey" by Beastie Boys, "Always" by Atlantic Star, "Push It" by Salt n Pepa, "Can't Help Falling in Love With You" by UB40 (Elvis cover), "You're the Inspiration" by Chicago, "Enjoy the Silence" by Depeche Mode... these all have definite and memorable meaning attached to them with regards to specific people. I miss each of those people.

Each memory is like a love song to me, whether it's a good memory or a bad one. Most are good. And the bad ones became pretty good when I matured enough to learn something from them. If you recognize yourself in that list up there (and a couple of my readers just might), then thank you for the memories... and the dance.